When Raquel Requena was killed yesterday allegedly by her deranged ex-husband, it was a sobering reminder of the sudden and persistent danger of domestic violence. In fact, that killing occurred 6 days after the House of Representatives passed the Domestic Violence Bill and three days before the international day to end violence against women.
The day to end violence is Sunday and in connection with that, the Women’s Issue Network is sponsoring their annual torch run. It began in Punta Gorda on Saturday and after traveling through Dangriga, Cayo, and Belmopan – it was supposed to arrive in Belize city this evening. But because of the rain it didn’t. But while it wasn’t brought into the city by a runner, it was brought in for the ceremony. The torch was lit at the YWCA late this afternoon. We spoke to WIN-Belize’s Executive Director Carolyn Reynolds.
Carolyn Reynolds, Executive Director – WIN-Belize
“The reason for the torch run is to strengthen the awareness of HIV/Aids and gender based violence and to get the participation of others within the society to think about how they can make a difference, how they can assist organizations working in this field to ensure that we can get a much lower reduction of gender based violence especially and the prevention of HIV/Aids by changing behaviors.”
Keith Swift,
Do you think that the torch run is making a difference?
Carolyn Reynolds,
“Well basically I might be bias but I can say maybe it has made a difference because more women are speaking out, more women are speaking out.”
